Sophie Zumout Resident Director

Department of Residence Life

1032 N. Sheridan Road
Chicago, IL 60660
(312) 915-6704

Lisa Rogers Letter of Promise

I have had the pleasure of knowing Lisa Rogers since July 2013. Over the last two years I have
interacted with Lisa in several different capacities. During the first year of Lisas graduate
assistantship, we worked closely together on a departmental committee charged with planning all
trainings and continued development opportunities for all student staff members. I have since had
the privilege of serving as Lisas direct supervisor for the 2014-2015 academic year as she has
served in the Assistant Resident Director position within the Department of Residence Life.
One of the first things that I noticed about Lisa was her quiet disposition and hardworking nature.
Unlike many of her peers, Lisa is not showy or boastful in her approach to her work but rather a
silent leader that leverages her professional competence with humility and grace. She is not
someone that prescribes to the busy-syndrome often praised or rewarded within graduate
programs and the profession as a whole, but rather lets her work speak for itself. What stands out
about Lisas leadership style and strength as a student affairs educator is that she is not apologetic
for being authentic. Her level of self-awareness about her strengths and her areas for growth is
impeccable. She maximizes on her strengths and works with others collaborate and learn in order to
demonstrate growth in other areas. Lisa maintains a calm and grounded approach to her work and
interactions with students, peers and colleagues alike. Her professional exterior remains unruffled
regardless of the situation yet she never lacks approachability, empathy and the appropriate amount
of emotion that keeps her grounded and relatable in the way in which she approaches the multiple
facets of the student affairs profession.
Over the course of the year I have witnessed Lisas confidence and self-efficacy grow. I have
admired her commitment to cultural competence and social justice and have witnessed her ability to
infuse it in her work regardless of the situation at hand. Her approach to working with others comes
from a place of listening and seeking to understand an individuals lived experience and story. Lisas
person-centered approach has allowed her to thrive this year in her work with students specifically
those experiencing transition, crisis and conflict. Her ability to listen without judgment allows her
to be a true resource and support system for students. Lisas interactions with students in multiple
capacities has allowed her to incorporate relevant theories from her course work into her
interactions with students and student staff in a manner that is intentional without being prescribed
or scripted.
When I think about Lisas promise in the field of student affairs, I cant help but think about the
plethora of ways in which she is going to impact the profession and to some degree, I struggle to
identify and pinpoint what her true niche is. I have no doubt that she will be an incredible
professional and have the utmost confidence in her abilities to challenge and support the students
with whom she interacts. While these soft skills are what our work is founded on, I am confident
in her ability to also be an administrator. I believe that her pragmatic skills such as organization and
time management will allow her to thrive in the multiple directions that student affairs professionals
are pulled.
As an emerging leader in the field of student affairs, I am confident in the type of professional that
Lisa will be and I look forward to the impact of the ripple of effect that will happen as a result of
her work. I am thankful to have been on her academic, professional and personal journey!